Slotted signal-lever.



1. LE D. LANGDON.

SLOTTED SIGNAL LEVER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.30. 19H.

1,152,370. Patented Aug. 31, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

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COLUMBIA PLANDORAPH 60., WASHINGTON, D4 c.

1. LE D. LANGDON.

SLOTTED SIGNAL LEVER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.30. 1911'.

1,152,370. Patentd Aug. 31, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

FIGJIL FIGLEZ.

mun/5555s; I INV NTO 7 H wAi m y x KKK/K I W E/ITTORNE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co..wAsHINaToN. D. c.

JOHN LE DROIT LANGDON, 0F ROGHESTER. NEW

NEW YORK, A CORPORATION NEW YORK.

WAY SIGNAL COMPANY, OF GATES,

YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL RAIL- SLOT'IED SIGNAL-LEVER.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug. 31, 1915.,

Application filed August 30, 1911. Serial N 0. 646,914.

To all whom it may concern:

non, a citizen of the United States, and resident of the city of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have- Slotted Signal-i1, of which the following is a specifi-y? invented a new and useful Lever, cation.

This invention relates to railway electric signaling and particularly to devices and arrangements of circuits for controlling what is known in the art of railway signaling as a semi-automatic, power operated, dynamic indication signal.

The object of this invention is to construct and arrange a system by means of which a railway signal of the ordinary automatic block semaphore type may be controlled semi-automatically without any change in the arrangements and constructions of the signal itself, but such changes and arrangements as are needed to cause it to operate semi-automatically will be made in the interlocking machine by which it is controlled.

Railway signals may be controlled manually, automatically, and semi-automatically. A manual signal may be either mechanically operated as by means of pipes or wires, or may be power operated as by means of electricity or compressed air, in which case the operation of the signal is controlled by controlling. the flow of either electricity or compressed air to the operating means at the signal. Automatic signals are, in general, operated either by electricity or compressed air, the movements of the signal being controlled wholly by the movements of trains upon the tracks controlled by the signals. A semi-automatic signal is a signal which is not only controlled manually but is also controlled by the movements of trains upon the track controlled by the signal. A semiautomatic signal may be moved to the clear position manually'through the medium of connecting wires or pipes and restored to danger by the passage of a train acting to de'e'nergize an electromagnet which forms a connecting link in the connecting wire or pipe; such a signal is ordinarily called a slotted signal on account of its similarity to antiquated types of signals controlled from two different points. Semi-automatic signals are also in use which are moved to the clear position by the operation of electricity or compressed air which is controlled manu- L ally by a leverm'an in a tower as at an inter- Be it known that 1, JOHN Ln Dnorr LANG- t looking plant.

The type of semi-automatic signal which herein described is designed to be operated by electricity which is controlled manually. It is further of the type of electrically operated signals which are designed to generate a current of electricity when the semaphore arm returns to the danger position by reason of its bias and to thereby effecta release of locking in the interlocking machine of which the lever controlling it, is a part, such release locking being known ordinarily as a return indication. Heretofore in signals of this type, in order to obtain a return indication it has been necessary to resort to the movement of a weight which was raised at the same time that the signal was cleared and was held suspended even after the semaphore arm returned to the danger position was not allowed to drop until the lever controlling the signal in the tower was returned to the normal indicating position, at which time the operating current holding the weight in suspended position was cut off and then by the falling of the weight, an indication current was generated. Such signals were rather crude and clumsy in their construction and quite complicated.

A standard form of operating mechanism which is applicable to all situations in which an electrically operated semaphore may be used is highly desirable, but on account of the fact that an electrically operated semaphore, used as an automatic signal, requires no mechanism for generating a return indication current, it is necessary when such a signal is employed in an interlocking plant as a semi-automatic signal with a return indication, to provide means by which the current may be obtained. The problem is further complicated by the fact that when such a signal is controlled from the commonest and best known electric interlocking ma chine, the lever controlling the signal is in thereverse position when the semaphore returns to the danger position by the entrance of a train into the block controlled thereby and for such reason even if anindication current is generated, the lever in the machine is not in the proper position to make use of such indication as is well understood by those skilled in the art; furthermore the ordinary and well known method of breaking the control wire for thesignal through 'eimr cori scribed,for the entrance of a train into the section governed by the signal J deenergizes the track relay and so breaks the continuity ,of the control wire, consequently, even-if an indication current is generated by the signal upon returning to the danger position, no

path back to the interlocking machine is open to it, consequently, means other than those commonly used must be resorted toin a signal ofthetype herein set forth.

In the accompanying drawings by which the invention is'illustrated and in which like characters "of reference refer to like parts,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a lever of an interlocking machine adapted for controlling a sem automat e signal, with one side of the lever guide. removed. Fig. 2, is a section on'the line A B of- Fig.- 1, looking n the ClllGCtlOii of the arrow; Fig. 3 is a section on the line CD of Fig. 1, looking in thedirection of'the arrow; Fig.4, is a section on the line E-F of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow; Fig. 5 is a section on the, line GH of Fig; 1, looking in the direction of the arrow; Fig. 6, is a diagrammatic representation of the circuits employed inth sinvention.

Numeral '1, designatesalever guide which is adapted to guide and support the lever 2,

and to support the associated mechanism, such guides being well known to those "skilled in the art and being merelyone of a 'series' which are assembled to form an interlocking-machine, the machine locking by which the predeterminedmovement of the levers in proper sequence is determined, being governed by a tappet connected to the c pin 3, which pin is given a vertical reciprocating motion upon the movement of the lever byi'easoii of the cam slot 1 in the lever.

The ordinary and well knownleverlatch is designated byv5,and serves to control v arious circuits to be hereinafter described.

Theffirst movement in clearing a signal by means of the lever 2 would be to grasp the handle andraise the end 6' of the latch 5, thus causing the 'reciprocatable member 7 to move upwardly, thus causing bentspring 'member which rests in a groove therein, to also be moved upwardly, thus caus ng the I Eend 9 .to contactwith the member 10. Both members 9 and-10 are insulated from each other and from the frame work of the. lever as by insulating means 12' and 11, thus normallv no circuit is closed therethrough, but

upon'the justdescribed movement a path is afforded from contact 13 to contact 14, said cont-acts being designated in the same manner in Fig. 6. The frame 17 which supports member 7 andfinsulating blocks 11 i and 12, is supported itself by the lever guide 1, fastened thereto by the screw 18 also supports a solenoid 19 which incloses a movable core 20 and a fixed core 21. The movable core 20 is fastened to a rod 22 which passes throughthe fixed core 21 and is attached to one end of a crank 23, the other end of which is attached to a reciprocating bar 2%, the other end of the bar being supported by an arm 25. The energization of the solenoid 19 causes a magnetization of the fixed core and a magnetization of the movable core 20, thus causing movable core 20 to move upwardly into contact with fixed core 21 and so withdraw the lower end ofthe movable core 20 from within a notch 26 in the top face of the lever 2. While the movable core 20 rests in the notch in the top face of the lever 2, it is impossible to move the lever. The bar at carries the carbon blocks 27, 28, 29, 30 and 31, which are adapted to contact with springs 82, 33, 34-, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, i0, t1, either in their normal position or in'their reverse position and the springs 32 to 41 inclusive are connected each separately to binding posts upon an insulating block i2 carried by the frame 17, one row of position. It also has a projecting end 52,

whichlies in the path of a dog 53 so that when the dog by the movement of the lever in moving to reverse position contacts with the projection 52, the other end of the latch 4.8 is moved upwardly so as to lie in the path of the shouldered projection 51 of the lever and so prevent the return of the .lever to the normal position until the latch has returned to its normal position. The lever also bears the dog 54., pivoted on a pin 55 and resiliently held in its normal position as shown by the springs 56, which dog is. adapted upon a movement to reverse position of the lever to contact with a tooth of the ratchet wheel 57 and so rotate the ratchet wheel against the tension of the spring 58. Just as the dog 53 completes the upward movement of the end 50 of the latch as, the dog 5d engages with a tooth on the ratchet wheel 57 and so rotates the ratchet wheel that a tooth thereof engages with the dog (30 to throw the upper end of the said dog underneath the end 50 of the latch i8 and so hold the latch 18 in its moved position against the tension of the spring 1 tending to return it to normal position. The spring 61 alsobears upon one arm of dog (30 in such manner as to tend to move the other end of the dog underneath the end 50 of the latch 48, so that a positive actuation of the dog is required after it has once been thrown under the latch 48 to remove it therefrom. The means for removing the end of the dog 60 from beneath the latch 48 is the rod 62 which is attached to an armature 63, which is held in the position shown by means of screws 64 which pass through holes therein and fasten into the cores 65 of the electromagnet 66. When the electromagnet 66 is energized by an indication current as herein after described, the armature 63 is raised into contact with the cores 65 and so causes the rod 62 to be raised, striking one arm of the dog 60, causin the other arm of the dog to be thrown out from beneath the latch'48, thus allowing the spring 61 to return the latch to the normal position as shown in Fig. 1. latch 48 as hereinbefore described takes place upon a movement of the lever to the reverse position, that is, in the direction of the arrow J, no movement of the latch 48 takes place when the lever is returned to the normal position, for the dog 53 being pivoted upon the pin 67 and spring held by the spring 68 in the normal position as shown in Fig. 1, passes over the end 52 of the latch 48 when the lever is being returned to the normal position without causing a movement of latch 4.8 on its pivot 49 by reason of the fact that the spring 68 allows the dog 53 to rotate on its pivot 67 out of the path of the end 2 of the latch 48. It is also to be observed that the dog 54 causes no rotation of the ratchet wheel 57 when it contacts therewith upon a movement of the lever '2 toward the normal position after being moved to reverse position, for, upon being returned to the normal position, 54 when it contacts with ratchet wheel 57 which is prevented from turning easily by spring 58, is caused to rotate on its pivot 55 out of the path of the teeth on ratchet wheel 57, it being able to do this by reason of the cut-away portion 69 in the lever 2.

To those familiar with the art the lever and associated mechanism just described will be recognized as a modification which in fact it is, of the lever and indicating mechanism shown, described and claimed in a patent to John D. Taylor, 752 127, February 16th, 1.904, but it will also be recognized by those skilled in the art that whereas in the Taylor patent above mentioned, the indication and lever mechanism cooperating therewith is so designed that both upon the movement of a lever toward reverse position and toward normal position, indication current must be received through the indication, in. f jnet before the full stroke of the lever can be completed, in the present case, however, as the shoulder 13 of the Taylor patent above mentioned, is not present, it is not necessary to receive an indication curthrough the indication magnets Although the movement of the the end of the dog rent through the electromagnet 66 upon a movement of the lever to the reverse position in order to complete the full stroke of the lever. The most important difference, however, is the fact that in order to use of the return indication current flowing through the indication magnet as shown in the Taylor patent above mentioned, it is necessary to have the lever at either the reverse indicating dicating position, but in applicants invention it the lever is in the full reverse position and the indication current is received 66, thelatch 48 will be caused to move into the position shown in Fig. l, withdrawing the end 50 from the path of the shouldered projection 51. of the lever 2, and as the dog 53 does not cause the end 50 of the latch 48 to move into thepath of the shouldered projection 51 of the lever 2 when the lever is moved toward the normal sary to have the lever in the normal indication position when the indication is received in order to complete the stroke of the lever to the normal position, but in the Taylor patent, above mentioned, if the lever is in the full reversed position when the indication is received, a later movement of the lever toward the normal position will result in a shoulder upon the latch 9 of the Taylor patent moving into the path of the shoulder 14 of the Taylor patent, thereby preventing the full movement of the lever toward the normal position and it IS necessar therefore,

to cause the indication current to flow through the indication magnet 16 of the Taylor patent, after cut-away portion 24 of the Taylor patent has arrived, to a position over the projection 23 of the latch 9 of the Taylor patent. This fundainental difference between the operations of the two types of lovers has caused the present type to be called the stored indication type as the indication may be received while the lever is in the full reverse position and be available at any future time.

In the diagrammatic representation of the circuits involved in this invention as shown in Fig. 6, cally the solenoid as shown in Fig. 1, the contacts 9 and 10 correspond to the contacts 9 and 10 of Fig. 1 and the numeral 24 designates the oscillating bar as shown in Fig. l,

the bar being shown in Fig. 6, in its normalposition so that carbon block 27 mares conmake position or the normal inposition, it is not necestact with the two wires 70 and 71, whereas the other carbon blocks do not make contact with wires. Carbon block 31 has not been shown in the diagrammatic representation in Fig. 6, because the required number of contacts are obtained without the use of it, but with a three position signal, the same would be used; 72 and 73 designate conducting members of which 73 is adapted to section and a batteryfl86 being connected to both ralls at one end'and a relay 87 having make contact with springs 74 and '75 in the normal position of the lever and is adapted --to break contact therewith upon the initial 1 movement of the lever.

"72cont'acts with springs, 76 and 77 at the normalp'osition of the lever and also at the Conducting block position called the normal indication position which is the position at which the lever as shown in the patent to Taylor752,127 is j above mentioned, is stopped and at which EtnglllCllCZItlOll 1s received before the lever can be put in the full normal position in position; springs moving from the reverse position to normal 78 and 79 are adapted to be contacted and connected together by the conducting block .7 2 at the reverse indicating and-full reverse positions of the lever.

Both conducting blocks, 72 and 73 are connected together and to the rod 80 shownin Fig. 1, which rod being connected to the lever 2 causes the blocks 7 2 and 7 3 to move in unison therewith; 66 designates diagrammatically the so called indication magnet which is also shown in Fig. 1; 81 designates a source of electric current; S2'desi'gnates a I section of railway track, the movement of 7 ,,trains thereover being controlled by the semaphore arm 83, both of the rails 84 and 85 being insulatedin the well known manner from the alining rails at the end of the an armature 88 being connected to the two rails at the other end. The semaphore arm 83 is moved to the clear position by means of a motor of which 89 designates the arma ture having the'brushes 90 and 91 bearing thereon, the semaphore being connected to the armature by. the shaft 92; 93xand 94 designate the operating coils of the fields, and'95 and 96 designate the-holding coils of the field; the motor being so designed that operating current entering the motor through wire 97 will flow through-coils 93 and .94 and so cause the motor to rotate and move the semaphore to the clear position 103 and 104 at the moment the signal reaches the clear position or just before, so as to cause the current to flow thr field coils.

All of the parts as shown inFig. 6, are in the normal position, but when the lever 2 is reversed, blocks? 2 and 73 move in the direcugh all of the tion of the arrow K and reciprocating bar 24 moves in the direction of the arrow M when the solenoid 19 is energized and returns by gravity to the position shown when the solenoid is deenergized. The first movement in reversing lever 2, would be to actuate the latch 5, having the arm 6 thereby causing contacts 9 and 10 to come together, which, if no train were in the track section 82, would allow current to flow in the following path: positive side of battery 81,

wire 105, wire 106, armature 88, wire 107,

wire 108, spring 75, block 73, spring 74,

wire 109, contact 13, wire 110, spring 9, con- 7 tact 10, contact wire 111, wire 112, solenoid 19, wire 16, wire 113, wire 114, to the negative side of the battery 81. Current in the above traced path would energize the solenoid 19, causing it to lift the movable core 20 thus unlocking the lever, at the same time it would oscillate bar 24 so that all of the contacts which are shown open would be closed and the contacts which are shown closed would be opened so that the current whicn flowed through wire 107 in the above traced path through the conducting block 73, would now have a path from wire 107, through wire 115, carbon block 30, wire 116 to wire 112 and thus to and through the solenoid and back to the negative side of the battery in the path just above described. It is thus seen when the lock is once picked up, it is held up by what is called the stick contact, so that even if the connection between contacts 9 and 10 were broken the lock would still remain energized. As soon as the lock has been energized and the movable core 20 raised and the lever released, it may be moved to its full reverse position thereby connecting springs 7 8 and 79 so that current would flow in the following path: positive side of battery 81, wire 105, wire 117, spring 79, conducting block 72, spring 78, wire 11S, carbon block 29,wire 119, carbon block 28, wire 120, wire 121, wire 122, contact spring 100, block 99, contact spring 101, wire 97, wire 124, field 94, wire 125, brush 90, armature 89, brush 91, wire 126, field 93, wire 127, and wire 114 to the negative side of the battery. The current flowing in the above traced path would cause the motor to operate and move the semaphore arm 83 in the direction of the arrow N to the clear position at which point contacting strip 99 would disconnect springs 100 and 101 and contact strip 102 would connect springs 103 and 104 so that the current as above described flowing to springs 100 and 101, would then flow from wire 122 to wire 129, spring 103, contact strip 102, spring 104, and wire 98, field 96, wire 123, field 95, wire 130, wire 124, field 94, wire 125, brush 90, armature 89, brush 91, wire 126, field 93, wire 127, and wire 114 to the negative side of the battery. The current flowing in the path,

, l t will thus above traced path would as heretofore set forth hold the semaphore arm 83 in the moved position.

If while the parts were in the position as above cescribed a trainshould enter upon section (22, the relay 87 would be shunted, armature 88 would drop thus breaking contactwith wire 107, consequently the circuit through the solenoid 19 would be broken and consequently the movable core 20 would drop thus} causing the bar 24: to oscillate in a direction contrary to the arrow ltl; such a movement of the'oscillating bar 24: would break the contact between wire 118 and the carbon block 20, consequentlythe holding current would be cut oil from the motor and consequently the semaphore arm 83 by reason of its bias would return to the danger position driving the motor backward and thus genera'te'a current, which current, due to the fact that carbon block 27 connects wires 71 and wouldflow bearing in mind, that the semaphore, in returning to danger position closes the contact between. springs 100 and 101; brush 01, wire 120, field 93, wire 127, wire 113, Wire 1231, indication magnet 66, wire 132, wire 70, contact block 27, wire 71, wire 121, wire 122, spring 100, contacting strip 99, spring 101, wire 97, Wire 1241-, field 94:, wire 125,to the other brush of the motor and then through the armature to the brush 91. The current flowing in the above traced path would cause the rod 62-to strike against one arm of the dog 60, causing the other arm of the dog to be thrown out from under the latch 48 the end 50 of whichwas "aised into the path of the shouldered projection 51 of the lever by the act of reversing the lever. be seen that the mechanism for preventing a return of the lever to normal position, has by the current which flowed through. the magnet 66, rendered the means for preventing the return of the leverto the normal position ineffective and that it has accomplished this object while the lever was in the full reverse position, so that at any .nie after the indication has been received the manipulator of the levers may return the lever.

It is to be observed that the breaking of the circuit through the solenoid 19, while the lever was in the reverse position prevented the making of that circuit again even if the relay 87 were again energized until the lever had been returned to the full normal position, for the solenoid 19 is a stick solenoid as the pick-up circuit for the same .must be made through the circuits 7 3i and 75, which cannot be done unless the lever is in the full normal position, so that it is necessary for the leverman to return the lever to full normal position after the entrance of a train upon section 82 in order to again clear the would cause the latch 48, having in the following heretofore pointed out and signal and if the lever is returned to the full caused the tion is still in section 82, it would be impossible for the lever-man to again clear the signal While the train was in section 82, for, it wouldthen be impossible to energize the look through the pick-up circuit, for it would be broken under such conditions at. the armature 88 which would be in its lower position caused by the presence of a train upon the railsof section 82. It is very es sential that'the lever should thus operate, for, if. theleverman wereable to reverse the lever while a train was in section 82,

the end 50, to move into the pathof the shouldered projection 51 on the lever, but as it would be impossible to clear the signal with a train in section 82, he would then have the lever reversed with the latch up and the signal in the danger position so that there would be noway of energizing the electromagnet 66 to release the latch in order to return the lever so that he would have to resort to a prohibited practice,namely, the so-called picking off-the indication which would simply amount to a manual operation of latch 48. In order to prevent'the reversal of the lever with a train in section 82, the carbon block- 30 is so placed upon reciprocating block 24 that it will not make contact with wires 115 and 116 until the movable core 20 has reached a position one thirty-second of an inch removed from its final lower position, rendering certain that the end of the movable core 20 will have been seated in the notch 26 in' the top face of the lever 2 before it is possible to again make the pick-up cir cuit for the solenoid 19 complete.

Itis necessary, to provide means whereby the lever 2 maybe replaced inthe normal position after being reversed, thus causing the movement of the semaphore arm 83 to the danger position if no train accepts the signal and moves upon section 82 for which reason, if the lever 2 is returned to the nor-' mal indication position after being moved tothe reverse position on account of the holding circuit through the motor being brokenat the springs 7 8 and 79, the arm 83 will move to the danger position and the lever being in the normal indication position a'circuit will be formed as follows: brush 91, wire 126, field 93, wire 127,'wire 113 and wire 131, indication magnet 66, wire 132, spring 76, block 72, spring 77. wire 122, spring 100, Coiitact strip 99, spring 101, wire 97, wire 12-1, field 94:, wire 125, and to brush 90, thus'completing the circuit, the current in which, generated by the movement of the armature caused the movement of the signal to the danger position, causes the indication magnet 66 to be energized anclfthe rod 62 to be normal position while the train which 'signalto go to the danger posif 50 '1 moved into reverse position, a wiper carraised, thus releasingthewdog .60 from beneath the latch 48 and allowing the lever to be moved to the full normal position. x

Having thus explained. the princlpleof my invention and described one particular physical embodiment thereof,-what I. claim as new and, desire to secure-by Letters Patentarlszp 1; In an interlocking machine, a lever "10,

having a normalposition, a reverseposition j and anorma-l ndication position, a projecposition, the path of the projection onflthe lever for stopping the lever at normal indication polatch. adjacent the lever,

free end of thewiperbeing adapted to con tact with one end of the latch and thus rotate it on its pivot,--raising'- the other end,

--a'proj'ectio n on the other end of the said latch, a spring pressed pivoted dog adapted to be forced under the raised end' of the latch and to hold the latch in its moved with the'projection on the latch in jsition 'vvhenbein'g moved from reverse toward'normal position, a centrally pivoted member having equidistantly spaced projections, each projection adapted to. come 3O incontactwith' said dogto force it .under the latch, a pivoted finger on the lever spring held in; one position, a shoulder. on

the-'lever adapted to abut the side of one end of said finger,'-said; finger adapted to engage a projection on the said centrally pivoted member and forcea projection of said centrally pivoted member "in *contact with the dog, a';fixed shoulderagainst which the pivotedfinger abuts when the lever is in normal position, an electromagnet having an armature and a rod connected, thereto which rod is adapted tostrike said dog and release said latch when said-electro-magnet v is energized, and means to'energize; said electromagnet,

2. 1m a signalingdevice, a lever adapted for movement in two directions having a 1 normal pos1t1on, a reverseposition and a normal indication position, a signaling. device. governed partly the lever when ried by-the lever,fmeans actuated by said i -wiperwhile'lthelever is beinglnaoved to reverse position to prevent its return in the other direction beyond the normal inclieating position, said wlper ,being ineffective when the lever ismoved from reverse positiontoward the normal position, and means actujated'by the return'of the signaling de' vice from operated condition while the lever Optics of this patent lnay he obtained for controlling lever adapted for movement to aplurality of: positions, one of said positions being a normal position, another of said positions being a normal indication position, another of said positions being a full reverse position, stop-means to prevent the lever from being returned to the normal position' ait'ter being placed in the full reverse position, and means including an indication device capable of rendering said stop-means ineffective when the lever is in the full reverse position to allow said lever to be moved to full normal.

4. In a device of the class described, a lever adapted to be reciprocated, a pivoted latch, means-to raise the latch upon a move ment of the lever in one direction only, while leaving the latch unmoved when the lever moves in the opposite direction, means to a movement to one of said positions causing in conjunction with the other means the clear position'of the signal, means preventmg the full return of the movable member from one extreme position to the other,

actuated by the saidmovement to one of said positions of the movable member, the other means of the two said means operating to render said preventing-means ineffective and to permit said movablemember to move continuously from one extreme position to the other.

6. In a signaling device, a signal, means to move the signal including a member adapted to move, means to prevent said member from returning to normal position, means for causing the signal to return to the position from which it is moved, and means actuated thereby to render the second named'means inoperative, and permit said member to move continuously from one extreme position to the other.

- JOHN LE DROIT LANGDON.

Witnesses:

v LILLIAN L. PHILLIPS, I MARY Gr. DALBEY.

fivecents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). G. v 

